Oscillating joint



July 28, 1936- l. w. ROBERTSON 2,049,024

OSCILLATING JOINT Filed Feb. 1, 1932 2 sheets-sheet 1 L Zhwentot Boos M Roberrsofi (Ittornegs July 28, 1936.

l. w. ROBERTSON 2,049,024

OSCILLATING JOINT Filed Feb. 1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 1% r l E a [i u M ii n NNNNNN OR I ma W. Robertson TORNEY t etenteei July Ye;

Isaac W. Robertson, Akron,

Ulric, asslgnor to The Firestone Tire a Rubber Company, on, Uhio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 1, 1932; Serial No. 590,206

. 9 Galina.

This invention relates to oscillating joints such as are used, for example, in automobile constructlon for the joints formed between the springs and shackle bolts, and the joints involved in the steering mechanism, and more especially the in vention relates to oscillating joints of the type comprising rubber mounted between concentric connecting members, such as an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve or shackle bolt.

In' oscillating joints of the character mentioned wherein relative angular movement of the sleeves is resisted by the tension of the rubber,

the rubber either has been vulcanized to the respective sleeves, or it has been compressed between the sleeves so as to engage the latter strongly by friction. Vulcanizing the rubber within the sleeves is a diilicult and frequently unsatisfactory operation, and where the rubber engages the sleeves solely by friction there is such a difi'erenc'e in area between the rubber-engaging surfaces of the inner and outer sleeves that slippage invariably occurs between the rubber and Figure l is an elevation of apparatus for the manufacture of my improved joint, and the work therein, the latter and a part of the apparatus being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inner sleeve and rubber cushion oi the improved joint, as they appear before assembly with the outer sleeve;

Figure 3 is a sleeve;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the assembly;

Figure 5 is an elevation of a modified form of construction employing an integral bolt and shackle instead of the inner sleeve;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through a spring shackle assembly including a pair of the elements illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an elevation of a second modified form of construction employing a bolt instead of the inner sleeve;

perspective view of the outer Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through an assembled joint employing the inner member shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a third modifled form of the inner member and rubber cushion;,and

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section through an assembled joint employing the inner member shown in Figure 9.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, the improved oscillating jolnt comprises a metal outer sleeve ill, a concentric metal inner sleeve ii, and an intervening cushion of elastic rubber it. In the modified forms shown in Figures 5, 7 and 9, a shackle bolt or other type of bar H li or M, respectively, is substituted for the metal inner sleeve, as will be later described. The following description of the construction and assembly oi" the joint refers to inner sleeve H but it will be understood that the same construction and assembly are applicable to the bolt or bar. The rubber cushion i2 is locally adhe'sively attached or bonded, preferably by vulcanization, to the inner sleeve H in the central region thereof, and, in assembled form, is under compression so as to exert strong pressure against both the inner and outer sleeves.

The inner sleeve H as shown is longer than the outer sleeve it, but the sleeves may be oi the same length if desired.

In the manufacture of the joint, a, collar of rubber i2 is molded and vulcanized onto the inner sleeve ii, centrally thereof, said rubber collar being of less length than the sleeves it, it and of greater diameter than the inside diameter of the outer sleeve ill and having convex lateral faces as shown. The sleeve H and rubber collar E2 thereon are assembled with the outer sleeve 10 by forcing the sleeve H into telescoped relation with the sleeve l 0, the rubber collar it being thereby carried into the outer sleeve, and so deformed and displaced as to fill completely the space between the inner and outer sleeves, as is most clearly shown in Figure 4.

Suitable apparatus for assembling the members of the joint is shown in Figure 1 wherein it is a base, it, it are posts rising therefrom, it is a deck or support mounted upon the posts M, and I6 is a double acting fluid pressure operated cylinder mounted upon the deck IS, the cylinder I 6 being vertically positioned and having a piston rod ll projecting downwardly from its lower end. The cylinder I6 is provided at its opposite ends with fluid inlet and outlet pipes i8, i9 and the lower end of the piston rod H is formed with a tapered leader or guide l1 adapted to enter the sleeve H at an end thereof, and a collar I'l of larger diameter adapted to overlie said end. A suitable work-seat 20 is mounted upon the base l3, said work-seat being formed with an annular recess 2| that is axially aligned with the piston rod l1 and adapted to receive an end portion of the outer sleeve i0, and having a concentric groove 22 of smaller diameter adapted to receive ways between the outer sleeve lll and the rub- 5 ber cushion l2, and, because of the greater surface area of the sleeve III as compared to the sleeve ll, such slippage occurs after greater relative angular movement of the sleeves than thrieading end portion of the inner sleeve ll would be the case if the cushion was not vul- 0 when the latter is fully telescoped with the outer canized to the inner sleeve H. sleeve ill. It will be understood that groove 22 Modification may be resorted to within the will be modified by arecess (not shown) provided scope of the appended claims, which are not when assembling the form of jo nt S w in limited wholly to the specific construction shown Figure 6 in order to accommodate bolt II. or exact procedure described. 15

A suitable tubular guide 23 is provided for what i claimed facilitating the forcing of the rubber collar l7. 1. A rubber articulated joint comprising an into the outer sleeve l0, said guide being inner metallic member and outer metallic memadapted to b mounted 1 1 the pp end O ber surrounding the inner metallic member and t e Sleeve D and being interiolly rmed w t spaced therefrom, and a rubber sleeve held in 20 a downwardly tapered portion 23 havi g a large space between said metallic members in the diameter of the same size as the normal dicondition of substantial mass tension, a portion ameter of t e o a and having Small 11- of said sleeve secured to said inner member by ameter of the same size as the inside diameter vulcanization, and a portion by a frictional 25 of the sleeve l0. bond, said rubber sleeve being secured to said 25 In the operation of the appara u he pi n outer member solely by frictional bond. rod i'l being in its raised or retracted position, 2. A rubber articulated joint comprising an a sleeve ill is mounted in the recess 2| of the inner metallic member and outer metallic memwork support 20, the guide 23, preferably with ber surrounding the inner metallic member and its tapered portion 23 suitably lubricated, is spaced therefrom, and a rubber sleeve held in 30 mounted upon the upper end of the sleeve Ill. the condition of substantial mass tension in said and the assembly comprising the sleeve II and space, said rubber sleeve being secured to said rubber collar I2 is mounted in the upper end inner and outer metallic members by means of of the guide 23, as clearly shown in Figure l. a frictional bond, a central area of said rub- 85 The upper end of the cylinder [6 is then her sleeve further bonded to said inner metalcharged to project the piston rod ll'downwardlic member by means of vulcanization. 1y whereby it engages the upper end of the sleeve 3. A rubber articulated joint comprising an ini I and forces the sleeve into telescoped engagener metallic member and an outer metallic memment with the sleeve ID, the rubber collar I2 ber surrounding the inner metallic member and 40 being thereby deformed and displaced so as spaced therefrom, and arubber sleeve held in the 40 completely to fill the space between the two space between said metallic members in a consleeves, and placed under compression, as predition of substantial mass tension, a portion of viously de crib d. said sleeve secured to at least one of said members The vulcanizing of the collar 12* upon the byvulcanization and upon atleast one side thereof exterior of the inner sleeve II is a relatively byafrictionai bond only, said rubber sleeve being 5 simple operation, and also it facilitates the insecured to the other of said members at least by sertion of the collar into the sleeve l0, as does a frictional bond. the feature of the convex lateral faces of the 4. A rubber articulated joint comprising an incollar. ner metallic member and an outer metallic mem- In the modified form of construction shown in ber surrounding the inner metallic member and 50 Figures 5 and 6 the bolt H is formed integral with the shackle or strap 24, a pair of these members, when assembled with outer sleeves l0, forming a complete spring shackle as shown in Figure 6. In Figures '7 and 8 a solid bar ll has been substituted for the sleeve ll shown in Figure 4, the rubber cushion l2 being bonded to the bar.

If it is desired to distribute distortion of the rubber cushion, two or more rubber cushions l2 and l2 may be attached to the bar ll illustrated in Figures 9 and 10.

The rubber cushion l2 being under compression, bears strongly against both inner and outer sleeves, thereby assuring that substantial relative angular movement of the sleeves may be had, against the torsional strain of the rubber cushion, before there is any slippage between the cushion and the sleeves. The pressure of the cushion l2 against the inner sleeve relievesthe vulcanized bond'therebetween of some of the torque incidental to the use of the joint, and the combination of the bond and friction between the inner sleeve and cushion provides greater resistance to relative movement between spaced therefrom, and a rubber sleeve held in the space between said metallic members in a condition of substantial mass tension, a portion of said sleeve secured to at least one of said members by vulcanization and upon portions at both 5 sides thereof by a frictional bond only, said rubber sleeve being secured to the other of said members at least by a frictional bond.

5. An oscillating joint comprising an outer sleeve, an inner member, and a cushion of resilient an rubber under compression therebetween, said cushion engaging the outer sleeve solely by friction, and, being locally adhesively vulcanized to the inner member in the central region only thereof.

6. An oscillating joint comprising an outer tubular sleeve, an inner member of smaller diameter concentric therewith, and an intervening cushion of rubber, said rubber being vulcanized to the central portion of said inner member, the rubber cushion at the sides of the vulcanized area frictionally engaging said inner member.

7. An oscillating joint comprising an outer sleeve, an inner member, and a plurality of annular cushions of resilient rubber under radial 7 sleeve, the radially inner portion of said cushion cushions contacting the outer sleeve solely by 15 compression therebetween, said cushions being at the portion on at least one side of said central axially disposed along said inner member a (1 adportion by a frictional engagement with the bolt. hesively attached thereto and being normally 9. An oscillating joint comprising an outer spaced apart, said radial compression distorting sleeve, an inner member, and a plurality of annusaid rubber cushions in axial directions whereby lar cushions of resilient rubberv under radial com- 5 they substantially fill the spaces therebetween, pression therebetween, said annular cushions bethe distorted portions of the rubber members ening adhesively bonded to said inner member in gaging the inner member frlctionally between the annular areas substantially narrower than the areas of adhesion of the rubber members to said areas of contact of said rubber cushions after inner member. they have been distorted by said radial compresl0 v 8. An oscillating joint comprising an outer sion during the assembling of the joint, the rubber sleeve, 9. bolt concentrically disposed therein and cushions contacting the inner member solely by spaced therefrom, and an annular rubber cushion frictional engagement in the areas between said' bridging the space between the bolt and outer bonded areas, the radially outer portions of said being secured at its central portion through a frictional engagement. vulcanized union with the bolt and being secured ISAAC W. ROBERTSON. 

